Visit campus before you pick college

You've browsed the viewbooks, sent out your test scores, chatted with counselors and checked out every school-search Web site known to man.

The college of your dreams is out there, somewhere, and the final deciding factor remains: the campus visit.

Many college-bound juniors and seniors will visit college campuses during summer months and on weekends and breaks throughout the coming school year.

This is a fabulous plan. You can't really know how true-to-life the glossy photos in the college viewbook are until you've really seen the campus.

Fortunately, every college invites students to visit. Different schools have various programs to show off their campuses, and these are by far the best way to get the feel of an institution. Check out the school's Web site or call the admissions office to find out what kind of programs they offer. (From my experience, college counselors are some of the friendliest people around -- take advantage of their knowledge.)

Usually, colleges want to know a week or two in advance of your visit in order to help plan your day. While each school's program is different, each has a basic set of components. These include a group information session and/or a meeting with a counselor, where you'll get basic campus information and have many questions answered. Not only can you make your first personal acquaintance with the "powers that be," but you can meet other high school students interested in the college. If possible, compare notes and discuss opinions -- you may find new perspectives.

The other major component of the visit is the tour. Often, these are guided by a real student who'll walk you around, talk about the history of the buildings and help you figure out where the cafeteria is. Ask your guide all the questions that college rankings and official literature can't tell you. How's the cafeteria? Where can you buy fish food? What kinds of social opportunities are on campus? Where are the good coffee stands? Don't feel embarrassed about asking stupid questions. How else are you going to find out?

If you arrange it in advance, you can even sit in on a class in a field that interests you.

Arrive early and introduce yourself to the professor, who'll probably be glad to have you. Since your classroom experience is what you're essentially paying for, pay attention and don't be afraid to take notes (on how the course runs, of course, unless you're eager to remember the lecture).

Check out the school's events calendar to see if there's anything special going on.

Attending a jazz band concert, stopping by the student lounge during open-mike poetry readings, or even just sampling the turkey tetrazzini at dinner can let you see what kind of students attend the school.

Many schools also sponsor overnight programs.

Again, call ahead to ask for specifics, but you can usually eat dinner, explore the social scene for yourself and spend the night in a dorm with a student host. This is probably the best way to ponder your place on campus, especially without family members tagging along.

While you don't need to visit every school that sends you a brochure, it's definitely a good idea to hit at least your top three, especially those you're most serious about attending.

A few hours on campus will likely confirm your enthusiasm ("Wow, I think I'd really fit in here!"), strike the school from your list ("You know, the dorms are fairly suspicious-smelling. I don't think I'd want to live here.) or fall somewhere in between.

Ultimately, you're the one to decide where you'll spend the next few years.

With any luck, you'll find a campus where you feel at home, and the admissions reps (who by now know you for the wonderful person you are and think you'd be a wonderful addition to their campus) will decide to admit you -- and maybe even grant a scholarship or two.

You won't know until you visit.

Copyright 2001 Cowles Publishing Company
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